Semantics_K2021
Assignment 1
ASSIGNMENT 1 – GROUP 66
due by week 4
1
2
3
4
5
Student’s name
Nguyễn Trần Thảo Vy
Nguyễn Quốc Huy
Nguyễn Lê Thiên Thanh
Ngô Nhật Quỳnh Như
Trần Phương My
Question Content + Task sheet
1
2
3
4
5
Presentation
score/1.5
Note: Each task/ question is assigned to one student.
(a) The answers to the questions included in this task sheet should be brief and precise. Print out
the task sheet with answers and submit it to the teacher.
(b) A video including the presentations of all the students in the group is required.
- Each student is given max 3 minutes to give fuller explanations of his/her answer.
- Each presentation is prepared via the PPT, with 2 to 3 slides included.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 1: “Dr Jekyll is Mr Hyde” (page 42) is an equative sentence.
(a) Explain why this sentence is equative.
(b) Give another example of an equative sentence and explain why you think it is equative. Your
sentence should not be taken from the teacher’s handout or the course book. Give its source if it
is taken from other books or the Internet.
Student in charge: Nguyễn Trần Thảo Vy
Answer:
(a) Dr JerKyll is Mr Hyde.
=> 2 REs referring to the same person
₋ “Dr Jekyll” = indicates a specific person (Mr Hyde) > RE
₋ “Mr Hyde” = indicates a specific person (Dr Jerkyll) > RE
=> Reversible
=> Equative sentence
(b) Lana Del Rey is my most favourite singer.
=> 2 REs
₋ “Lana Del Rey” = proper name of a particular person > RE
₋ “my most favourite singer” = the singer whom I like the best > RE
=> Reversible
=> Equative sentence
Question 2: “Cairo is not the largest city in Africa” (page 42) is a non-equative sentence.
1
Semantics_K2021
Assignment 1
(a) Explain why this sentence is non-equative.
(b) Give another example of a non-equative sentence and explain why you think it is nonequative. Your sentence should not be taken from the teacher’s handout or the course book. Give
its source if it is taken from other books or the Internet.
Student in charge: Nguyễn Quốc Huy
Answer:
(a) Cairo is not the largest city in Africa.
₋ “Cairo” is the name of the city in Egypt > RE
₋ “the largest city in Africa”, Africa is another country or continent > RE
=> Reversible
=> Two different referents
=> Non-equative sentence
(b) The sky is blue.
=> Describe a quality or attribute of the sky
₋ “The sky” refers to the entity being described > RE
₋ “blue” refers to the quality or attribute being ascribed to the sky > RE
=> Non-reverse
=> Two different referents
=> Non-equative sentence
Question 3: “Ted is an idiot” (page 42) is a non-generic sentence.
(a) Explain why this sentence is non-generic.
(b) Give another example of a non-generic sentence and explain why you think it is non-generic.
Your sentence should not be taken from the teacher’s handout or the course book. Give its
source if it is taken from other books or the Internet.
Student in charge: Nguyễn Lê Thiên Thanh
Answer:
(a) “Ted is an idiot”
₋ “Ted” = a boy/male name > RE
₋ “is an idiot” = makes a judgment about his intelligence.
=> It is not a general statement about a group of people or things.
=> Non-generic sentence.
(b) “This boy is good at math"
“This boy” = a specific boy > RE
=> “This boy is good at math”: a specific boy who is good at math, not other boys.
=> Non-generic sentence.
Source: https://www.jstor.org/stable/29782847
2
Semantics_K2021
Assignment 1
Question 4: “Gentlemen prefer blondes” is a generic sentence.
(a) Explain why this sentence is generic.
(b) Give another example of a generic sentence and explain why you think it is generic. Your
sentence should not be taken from the teacher’s handout or the course book. Give its source if it
is taken from other books or the Internet.
Student in charge: Ngô Nhật Quỳnh Như
Answer:
(a) “Gentlemen prefer blondes” is a generic sentence.
₋ “Gentlemen” = not a particular gentlemen, any gentlemen > generic NP
₋ “blondes” = any blondes > generic NP
=> No REs
=> Expressing a fact
=> Generic sentence
(b) Example: “We watched a movie together at the cinema.”
₋ “We”= people in general > generic NP
₋ “a movie” = not a particular movie, any movies > generic NP
₋ “the cinema” = not a particular movie, any cinemas > generic NP
=> No REs
=> Expressing a fact
=> Generic sentence
Question 5: Discuss the use of the noun phrases “YOU” and “YOUR CAKE” in the proverb
“You can’t have your cake and eat it”.
(a) Is “YOU” a deictic term in this context? Why or why not?
(b) Does “YOUR CAKE” indicate definiteness? Why or why not?
Student in charge: Trần Phương My
Answer:
(a) The term “YOU” is not a deictic term.
“YOU’ is used in a generic sense, referring to any person or individuals in general.
Not specifically tied to the immediate context or the identity of the speaker or listener.
=> The phrase “YOU” is a proverbial expression.
Conveying the idea that one cannot simultaneously have or enjoy two conflicting things.
(b) The phrase “YOUR CAKE” does indicate definiteness
The use of the possessive determiner “YOUR” specifies that the cake being referred to
belongs to a particular individual or group.
A specific cake is associated with the person being addressed or mentioned in the
context.
The possessive pronoun “YOUR” = the definiteness indicating ownership or possession.
3